Anatomy and Physiology: Skull Bones

Overview

• The human skull consists of 22 bones.
  • Part of the axial skeleton.
  • Divided into:
    • 8 Cranial Bones
    • 14 Facial Bones
• Bones types:
  • Cranial bones: mostly single bones except two pairs.
  • Facial bones: mostly pairs except two single bones.

Cranial Bones

1. Parietal Bones (2)

   • Located on the sides of the cranium.
   • "Parietal" means wall.

2. Temporal Bones (2)

   • Located below the parietal bones.

3. Frontal Bone (1)

   • Forms the forehead and covers the frontal lobe.

4. Sphenoid Bone (1)

   • Butterfly-shaped, spans the cranium.
   • Appears as a pair from the lateral view but is a single bone.

5. Ethmoid Bone (1)

   • Located between the sphenoid and nasal bones.
   • Contains cribriform plates; resembles a strainer.

6. Occipital Bone (1)

   • Located at the back of the head.
   • Covers the occipital lobe.

Mnemonic for Cranial Bones: Ethan's Fried Spanish Pasta Tempted Octavia.

Facial Bones

1. Mandible (1)

   • Jaw bone, strongest bone in the face.

2. Vomer (1)

   • Forms the inferior part of the nasal septum.

3. Nasal Bones (2)

   • Form the bridge of the nose.

4. Inferior Nasal Concha (2)

   • Shell-shaped bones in the lower part of the nose.

5. Lacrimal Bones (2)

   • Located near the tear ducts.

6. Palatine Bones (2)

   • Form the posterior part of the palate.

7. Zygomatic Bones (2)

   • Cheekbones.

8. Maxilla (Maxillary Bones) (2)

   • Form the maximum area of the face.

Mnemonic for Facial Bones: My Mouth's Palate, But Never Like Zucchini In Vinegar.

Associated Bones

• Hyoid Bone
  • U-shaped, helps with swallowing.
• Auditory Ossicles (Ear Bones)
  • Malleus (Hammer)
  • Incus (Anvil)
  • Stapes (Stirrup)

Additional Resources

• Free quiz available on RegisteredNurseRN.com to test knowledge on skull bones.
• Further anatomy videos and topics will be covered including cranial sutures and landmarks.